Rose colored snow
by CagedBird17
Summary: Hiashi Hyuuga is dead. Now, as the rightful heir to the Hyuuga clan, Hinata has to lead. The clan is counting on her, but even so, she refuses to do it alone. MIGHT MOVE
1. The Funeral

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Hiashi Hyuga is dead. Now, as the rightful heir to the Hyuga clan, Hinata has to lead. The clan is counting on her, but even so, she refuses to do it alone.

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It was a sad day in Konohagakure. The Village's eldest clan, the Hyugas, were having a funeral for their leader, Lord Hiashi Hyuga. The entire village was invited, but no one took it as hard as Hiashi's two daughters, Hinata and Hanabi Hyuga. At the commemoration stone, Hinata stood near the front, holding her younger sisters hand, trying hard not to cry, but she couldn't help that a few tears slid down her face. Next to her were some of her friends who went to the Academy with her. On her right was Kiba Inuzuka, and next to him was Shino Aburame. She considered them some of her closest friends and teammates. She held her sisters hand tightly and hoped that she wouldn't cry. She bent down and whispered something to her sister. Hanabi nodded and kept quiet for the rest of the ceremony. They both looked at the speaker, which was the Lady Hokage, describing how the Hyugas were the most noble of all the clans and how she was sad to see their leader go.

_'You were about to accept me as a true shinobi, weren't you, Father?'_ She fought the flowing stream of tears that were threatening to fall. Little did she know that a certain blond was watching her, even from another section of the crowd. He continued to look at her pale face, watching as she fought her tears. He knew he couldn't do anything for her, yet he felt as though he wanted to ease her pain, if by only a little. Sure, he has become closer with the Hyuga since he came back, but he knew she still had troubles of her own. Things she couldn't deal with in front of him. This was a prime example, and he knew that she was going to deal with this for the rest of her life. Just as he was about to sneak over, the girl next to him grabbed his arm, forcing him to stay put. He looked questionably a her, but all she could do was shake her head. He looked over to where the Hyuga was and sighed in defeat.

_'Maybe later, Hinata-chan.'_ He whispered to himself.

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**Not much of a beginning, but I'm working on it. If you have any ideas that you guys would like me to inject into the storyline, don't hesitate to click 'Submit Review' and jot down your ideas. I'll see where they'll fit in the story, and if I find a good place for them, you'll all know. Anyways, JA NE until next time!**

**Hinata-chan16**


	2. Moving back in

**Hiashi Hyuga is dead. Now, as the rightful heir to the Hyuga clan, Hinata has to lead. The clan is counting on her, but even so, she refuses to do it alone.**

**Last chapter overview:**

* * *

'Maybe later, Hinata-chan.' He whispered to himself.

* * *

The funeral was like any other funeral that Konoha had ever thrown, with a few minor exceptions. For one thing, this time around they had people come up to say speeches. First went Hinata's grandfather, and then it was her turn. She said that her father had a major impact on her life, not just as a shinobi, but as a daughter as well. She ended her speech and walked back to where Hanabi and Kiba were. Kiba gave her a worried look, but all she did was smile sadly. Before she could even react, Kiba held her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She hid a faint blush and smiled gratefully at her friend. After the elders of the Village, Neji said his part, since he was representing the cadet branch. After a final farewell, everyone left. Hinata waved good-bye to Kiba and Shino and walked over to the giant stone. She pulled out a small package from her pocket and opened it. She laughed half-heartedly.

"Your favorite snack, Father." She wiped away a tear and took a bite from one of them. She was proud that her father had enjoyed her rice balls, even if they were a little on the plain side. She heard footsteps and she turned around. There was her grandfather, standing behind her, his face a bit sad. She hurriedly stood up and bowed to him. He stood beside her, looking beyond the stone, as if her were remembering something.

"To think..." He started, causing her to look up at him. "Both my sons are dead, even before my time came. This is so discouraging..." He turned to face her.

"Hinata, when you move back in, there is something we need to discuss." With that he left. Hinata just continued to stare in the direction that he left in.

_Something to discuss? What's going to happen?_

She finished the onigiri in her hand and placed the others near the stone. She said a few prayers._ 'Father, please watch over Hanabi and I. I fear we may need it.' _She gave him one last farewell and walked away. She noticed that Neji had stayed there, waiting for her. She smiled a bit and ran over to her cousin. When he noticed that she was coming over, he chuckled a bit and started to walk alongside her, talking about nothing in particular. They walked to where Hinata had been staying for a couple of months and she invited him in. When he looked inside, he saw that it was less decorated than the last time he had come over. There were boxes on the floor, some with things in them, some empty, and still some that were already taped up and labeled.

"Neji, do you mind helping me?" She asked and began to raid her closet, stuffing her clothes into a half full box. He sighed and began with the stuffed animals on her bed. He put them all into an empty box and sealed it with tape. Hinata had already finished emptying her wardrobe and tackled the restroom next. She just crammed everything into a bag and closed it. After a few more minutes, most of the boxes were filled up and all of the big things were sealed in a scroll. Thanks to Neji's expertise, the things that were sealed could be brought back with a couple of hand signs. She had kept a few things out. When they were done, Neji was sitting in a chair, and Hinata had called someone.

"Hello, is... Oh hi! Listen, there's something I need to give you. Do you mind..?" There was a pause, then something the person said hit her hard. "Uh... No! D-don't!" She sounded desperate. There was a bye from the other side of the line and the phone went dead. Hinata just stood there, frozen in shock, and blushing like crazy. Neji noticed this and walked over to her.

"What's wrong, Lady Hinata?" She turned to face him.

"N-N-Naruto's coming. With Sakura-chan, I mean." She added when she saw his face. She was still blushing like crazy, and the minute that those words came out of her mouth, there was a knock on the door. She jumped and hid behind Neji before realizing that it was only the door. She slowly reached for the door and with shaking hands opened it. She peeked outside and saw Sakura and Naruto, standing side by side. She opened the door wider and invited them in, the blush still imminent on her face. When they got inside, Sakura looked around.

"Hold on, why is there almost nothing in here?" She asked. Hinata just handed her and Naruto some chairs, while she was preparing the tea.

"Uh... Would you believe me if I told you I was moving out?" She said, not looking at anybody in particular. She placed the kettle on the stove and brought out some snacks. She almost chopped up her finger when she heard Sakura's exclamation. Instead there was a minor cut on it. She put the damaged finger into her mouth and ran for her purse.

"You're moving? After you finally got settled in? What the hell?!" Sakura yelled and stared at the running Hyuga. She pulled out some bandages from her pocket.

"Sorry about that. Here." She tossed them over to where Hinata was currently standing. She caught it in one hand and wrapped them around the cut.

"Don't worry about it. It happens all the time when your cooking." She said. Naruto just watched intently at the exchange of words between them, until something caught his eye.

"Hey Neji, what's that in your back pocket?" He smirked mischievously. Neji pulled it out and hid it in less than two seconds. Now the girls were interested in the little show between them. Neji tried to run, but then he remembered that there was nowhere to run, unless...

"It's nothing really, just a box."

"What kind of box?" They all asked at the same time. They made him back up into a corner. Neji couldn't help it. He couldn't hit a girl, let alone the heiress to the Hyuga clan. He can't even beat up the Kyuubi, knowing full well that Naruto managed to control it to some extent. He realized that he was in a tight spot, so he did what he knew best. He opened the window and jumped out. They all watched him go, laughing their heads off.

"NEJI! COME BACK LATER! YOU NEED TO HELP ME MOVE THE STUFF!" Hinata yelled back to her cousin through giggles. Sakura just tried to stop laughing, and Naruto was rolling around on the floor. After a few minutes, the laughter finally died down and they all resumed their previous conversations.

"So what do you think Neji had?" Naruto asked them. Hinata placed a tray of snacks in front of them, along with three cups of tea. They both said thanks and picked up different things. Hinata was still blushing like crazy, and only Sakura noticed.

"I bet it was a present for Tenten. Its their anniversary tomorrow. They've been together..." She began counting on her fingers. " Almost two years now."

"Neji and Tenten got together?!" Naruto said, shocked by his newfound discovery. Sakura just sighed.

"You're so beyond helpless. Then again, we can't blame you. You only came back a few months ago." She took a bite of the cookie she was eating.

"You have got to give me the recipe for these cookies, Hinata. They're really good."

"You really think so? It's my own recipe, so I'll give it to you later, once I'm settled in back home."

"Why are you moving back, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked her. She blushed a bit and tried not to look at him, yet still answer the question.

"Before the accident last week, my father had asked me to move back in. He said that there was something I had to do for a treaty or something like that..." She said, quietly sipping her tea.

"Does that mean you'll be leaving soon?" He asked. She nodded and smiled slightly.

" I hope Neji comes. He always keeps me company, plus I'm traveling to the Hidden Waterfall village, and I'm sure that someone's going to attack us." She thought about something for a bit. "Father said that I would be gone for a week or so. I hope that nothing stalls us so that I can come back home quickly."

"The Hidden Waterfall Village? That's not too far from the Land of Waves, is it?" Sakura finally broke in. Hinata nodded.

"Anyways, the reason I invited you over was so that I can return the stuff you lent me." She stood up and ran into the bedroom. When she came back, she held a box in her arms.

"What, this thing? I insist that you keep it. It looks way better on you than it does me." Sakura peeked inside and saw the light lavender material inside. In a matching purse, she could see that some hairpins were inside.

"No, I couldn't. Besides, you bought it! It's yours." Hinata said and placed it on the floor. Sakura looked a bit ticked off.

"Hinata, if you give this back to me, I swear I'll stop being your friend." She said sternly. Hinata flinched and slowly nodded.

"Ok, I'll keep it, if you really insist." She picked it up and put it back in her now-empty room.

"If you really need some help moving, why don't we help?" Naruto asked. Hinata just stared at him and, feeling the blush on her face, turned away.

"N-n-no, I couldn't ask that of you." She said and began to push the boxes toward the door.

"Not a problem, right Saku--" Sakura had left minutes ago, the tray of cookies in tow. "Great. Now I have to do all the work. Well, better get started." He stood up and made a couple of shadow clones. Hinata just blushed even harder and tried to tell him.

"N-N-Naruto-kun, you really don't have to--" She stopped when he silenced her. His finger was on her lips, his grin too much for her to handle.

"I don't think Neji will be coming back anytime soon, plus, I can't just leave you here to carry all of your heavy things." He gave the order to his shadow clones and they all picked up a box. The original stepped away from her. Hinata, miraculously, managed to not pass out and decided to accept his help. Within a few hours, all of Hinata's belongings were in her room in the Hyuga household. She asked him to unseal the stuff from the scrolls, like her dresser and the wardrobe, while she got her belonging out from her boxes.

"I still can't believe how big your room is, though." Indeed, her room was not only a bedroom, but a living room as well.

"This is the west wing. But why I get all of this, I'll never have any clue." She said. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and proceeded with the task at hand. A few minutes later, there was a loud barking sound, followed by footsteps. Hinata's face brightened a bit and when she opened the door, a dog jumped into her arms with such force that it made her topple to the floor.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked, then shook his head. The dog was licking her face, happy that her owner had come back.

"Sora! Cut it out!" She giggled and pulled the dog away from her face. The little dog just barked and wagged its tail happily. In came Hanabi, out of breath from chasing the dog.

"S-s-sorry, sis. I tried to keep her away from here, but she managed to find you." Hanabi managed to say in between mouthfuls of air. Then she noticed that Naruto was there, in her room. A thought flashed through her head as she put two and two together. She grinned evilly.

"Grandfather! Hinata brought a boy home!" Hinata stood up, dog under one hand, blushing furiously. Naruto was also blushing.

'If Hiashi is like that over Hinata's and my friendship, how will her grandfather take it?' He shivered at the memory. He recalled it so vividly, as though it was yesterday, even though it was two months ago. He was walking Hinata home, late at night. He had invited her to eat ramen with him and some of the other guys and girls they both knew. Unfortunately, Lee got a taste of sake and Neji had to help Lee calm down. Everyone else left before they could what happened. So Neji and Tenten decided to take Lee home, and Hinata was going home by herself. He felt bad, so he decided to walk her home. When they got there, Hiashi was waiting, a stern look on his face. With him leering at him, Naruto said goodbye and left.

'That was just scary how he leered at me just for walking her home. I don't want to find out how her grandfather is going to take it.'

Speak of the devil.

There he was.

Almost as scary as Hiashi.

He appeared behind Hanabi, wondering why she was yelling. Then he saw Hinata, with her dog in her hand, and Naruto off to the side, holding in his hands the scrolls Neji had used to seal the big things. Naruto gulped and tried not to look at his eyes.

Scratch that.

Scarier than Hiashi.

"Hinata, when you are done, please come to the conference room. If you see Neji, tell him to come as well. Hanabi, you are to be there along with them. This involves the entire family, main and cadet branches." He said and left. Naruto and Hinata both collapsed onto the floor, each completely shaken up.

"So that's..?" She nodded and began to pet her dog.

"Don't take it so hard. He's not all bad." She smiled at him. Hanabi had disappeared, leaving the two of them alone. Hinata finally realized this and a blush spread across her features. Naruto took one look at her, then walked over to where she was.

"Hinata, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." He said quietly, making sure to look her in the eyes. She blinked a few times, the blush turning deeper and deeper red with each passing moment.

"Y-y-yes, Naruto-kun?" She asked, wondering if after all of these years of hinting that she liked him were finally paying off. He inched closer, as though he wanted to whisper something to her...

"Hinata, I--"

"Sis! Let's got! Everyone's waiting for us!" Hanabi tapped her foot outside the door, not sure if she was interrupting anything. The two of them jumped in surprise, the blush showing in each of their faces.

"M-m-maybe you can tell me later, Naruto-kun." She said. She stood up and left the door open behind her. Naruto punched the floor in anger.

_'Damn... And I finally had the chance too...'_ He sighed and left, making sure to close the door behind him. Outside, he stared at the cloudy sky.

_'Hinata... I wonder what you think of me..?'_

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**Eesh... This is one hella've a chapter stares at its giantness Sorry it was so long, folks, but I kind of got carried away with it. Anyway, this next little dialogue bubble is a spoiler for the next chapter.**

_"W-W-What?" Hinata said, frozen in shock._

_"The clan has come to an agreement. You are the rightful heir to the clan, and since Hiashi has passed away, you are now the leader. I hope that you will be as fine a ruler as your father was before you." The Elders of the Hyuga clan said._

_'This can't be happening!!'_

**Ok ppl, I took time out of my stupid homework time to re-check everything, and I have so that it makes a little bit more sense. both of the chapters have been changed, so shaddup! Bye Bye!**

**Oh, and its been a year since Naruto came back, and he may have changed love interests as far as you ppl know, but that may or may not be the case in my mind...**

**Ja ne,**

**Hinata-chan16**

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	3. Leadership

**OMG! I have no clue how, but I'm uploading this one faster than all the others put together! *faints* *Naruto comes by, and instead of waking me up, he pokes me with a stick.***

**OW! CUT THAT OUT-- *finally realizes who it is. Bows respectfully at him***

**So sorry, Kyuubi and Naruto. I didn't mean to yell... *grins evilly, then seals Naruto into a pokeball***

**HA! I WIN! *dances around, pokeball in hand.* Heh heh heh... I have so many things planned for your torture, Naruto... *runs off, holding what appears to be a chainsaw. A sign is hanging from the nearby door***

**Disclaimer: I, in no way, own Naruto or any of its characters', although some of the characters in another story are all mine, got it?**

**Oh, and as a gift to all those who have been waiting for their stories, I have posted a double feature: 3 & 4 of Rose Colored Snow!**

**Sorry!**

* * *

_Last chapter overview:_

_'Hinata... Do you feel the same way I do?'_

* * *

Hinata made her way down the hall, Hanabi right behind her. She was so completely lost with what had happened in the last chapter, she didn't realize that Neji had arrived and had questioned her about her spaced-out look.

"I'm fine. It's nothing, really." Neji still seemed suspicious, but he decided to let it go. Hanabi, on the other hand, figured out what had happened, and that she may have killed her sister's opportunity to tell the boy she was with her feelings for him. A few minutes later, they all arrived at the conference room. When they walked in, all of them bowed to Hanabi and Hinata. They could really care less of Neji, even though he became such a fine shinobi. They all walked to their respectful seats, but when Hinata was to sit next to her grandfather, he shook his head and pointed to the one near the center of the room. She still seemed confused, but sat there in any case.

"Is everyone here now?" The clan elder asked. "Good. Now, there is only one reason why we have gathered here today. We have to appoint a new leader for the Hyuga clan." Low murmuring was heard all around the room. "We all know that she is still a bit young for such a responsibility, but she is the first-born of Hiashi." Hinata's sat there, shocked beyond recognition. They all turned to face her.

"Lady Hinata will now lead the Hyuga household."

"W-W-What?" Hinata managed to croak out.

"The clan has come to an agreement. You are the rightful heir to the clan, and since Hiashi has passed away, you are now the leader. I hope that you will be as fine a ruler as your father was before you." The Elders of the Hyuga clan said.

'This can't be happening!!!!!!!!!!!' She felt herself fall into an endless abyss. Kind of like Sunako Nakahara from Wallflower.

"What do you think, Hinata?" Her grandfather asked her. She stared at the back of her hands and finally looked up.

"I can't do it alone."

"Of course you can." The elder simply stated. She shook her head.

"If I really am the leader now, I refuse to do it alone. I wish that Hanabi and Neji can help me."

"Out of the question." Her grandfather said sternly. "Hanabi is five years your junior and Neji is from the cadet branch. There can be no such union."

"That's exactly why I want them to help me." She responded back. Neji had never seen her so determined, not since the Chuunin exams four years ago. "Neji is more aware of the doings of the cadet branch than the main branch is. And I need to show Hanabi how to act as a substitute leader when I leave on missions or such." The argument was in the bag.

"Enough!" The youngest elder roared. Both Hinata and her grandfather quieted down.

"We shall have to discuss this matter amongst ourselves." The elders stood up and walked into the next room. Hinata tried not to be intimidated by her grandfather, but she received a surprise. Out of nowhere, a toad appeared right beside her, in its hand a note.

"Here. You're the Hyuga the kid was talking about, aren't you?" He asked, handing her the note. She looked confused, and then began to read the note.

_Hinata,_

_The day before you leave, can you meet me in the forest? There's something I have to give you, and I want to give it to you before you leave._

_Naruto_

_The Number one hyperactive knucklehead Ninja_

_The next Hokage_

Hinata giggled inwardly at his joke at the closing. She wrote something on a piece of paper and gave it back to the toad.

"That's for him. Can you give it to him?" She asked. He groaned.

"This is what I get for being born a toad..." And just like that, he disappeared. And not a moment too soon. The Elders had returned, stoic as always.

"We have taken into account all of the views on the matter. It is true what Tetsu Hyuga said..." He looked smug when they said that he was right. She just stared blankly at the Elders.

"But," Hinata snapped back into reality and listened, this time more intently. Her grandfather retained his expressionless face and listen to what the Elders had to say.

"Lady Hinata has a point as well. We cannot expect her to have to do everything by herself. So it has been decided. Lady Hinata may share the title with Lady Hanabi and Neji, but Tetsu will teach her the expected conduct and behavoirs of what is expected of the Main Branch. Meeting adjourned." All of the members of the Hyuga stood up and walked out. Hinata stayed seated, and Neji and Hanabi stood beside her.

"You ok, sis?" She asked. Hinata nodded and sighed.

"What's the matter Lady Hinata?" Neji asked, knowing that something was up.

"It's just..." She began, uncertainty looming over her.

"It feels like something ominous is about to happen."

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**OMG! Another chapter written! Something is very wrong... *starts to slurp something. Hinata walks by, wondering why the author is sipping soup.***

**Heh heh heh... Naruto has perished... *author grins wickedly, slurping more soup up. On a closer inspection, it turns out that the 'soup' is blood red... and alongside it are... bones?***

**This is delicious... I can't believe that Kyuubi didn't put up a fight...**

**Anyways, tell me what you think of this so far. I'll be waiting to hear the reviews!**

**P.S. No Naruto's or Kyuubi's were harmed in the making of this chapter**


	4. Meeting with the Second Cadet Branch

**IT'S THE APOCALYPSE!**

**MY BROTHER KILLED MY COMPUTER! MY PRECIOUS FILES..! *starts to weep* all of my work… down the drain… *fire in eyes* HE'S DEAD WHEN I SEE HIM! *Hinata taps her shoulder. Turns to look at her. Bows apologetically* Gomen, Hinata-sama. Didn't mean to rant at the very beginning of this chapter… *ahem* Well, let's get on with it, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I, in no way, own-- yadda yadda yadda. You all know that I don't own this, so why repeat it?**

**Last chapter overview:**

_"It's just..." She began, uncertainty looming over her._

_"It feels like something ominous is about to happen."_

* * *

Hinata and Neji were discussing the meeting later that evening in her room, the lavender curtains drawn to give them some privacy from anyone who happened to be walking by that evening. Neji was sitting at her desk, wearing cargo shorts and a loose tee. Hinata was sitting cross-legged on her beg, her midnight blue pajamas contrasting with her lavender sheets. In her arms was her favorite pillow; it was white with a --slightly lighter than Sakura's hair-- pink frill along the border.

"Are you sure about this, Hinata-sama?" He asked. She nodded solemnly.

"I can't do this all by myself. And since we still haven't announced it to Hokage-sama, it will be even harder." She sighed and rested against the headboard. The whole fiasco that day had completely worn her out. Neji looked at her questionably but she just shook her head.

"I'm just a bit tired. Don't worry about me." She closed her eyes and somehow she dozed off in an instant. Neji chuckled and shifted her into a more comfortable position, and he placed the sheets over her. He quietly walked out, and, in the hallway, met Hanabi.

"How is she?" She asked, peeking into her sister's room through a crack in the door. He placed his hands on her shoulders and steered her away from the room. He shook his head.

"She said she was tired, but I could tell that she was still sad about Hiashi-sama's death." Hanabi's usually stern-looking eyes fell to the floor.

"She's not the only one." Hanabi dragged herself down the hall and into her bedroom. Neji glanced once more towards both of the girls' rooms before heading off to his own room in the next building over.

At dawn, someone shook Hinata awake. She, still being half asleep, took her jyuken stance and almost pulverized her attacker until she recognized their voice.

"Hinata-sama! Matte!" Hinata snapped awake and stared in shock.

"Hinako-chan!" The girl lowered her makeshift shield of her arms and a pillow and smiled warmly.

"For a minute there, I thought that you were going to kill me!" She said dramatically. Hinata just hugged her cousin, taking in the scent of vanilla from her shampoo. Ok, she wasn't her _direct_ cousin; she was her father's cousin, but since they grew up together, Hinata always thought of her as a cousin.

"It's been almost five years! Why did you come back?" She asked, almost too loudly. Hinako just laughed.

"I came back yesterday before the funeral, but as usual Hanako got us here late." She motioned to the door when an exactly identical girl, but with shorter hair, was reclining against the doorframe. Hinata rushed over to her and gave her a hug as well. Hanako patted her on the head and shot back to her sister.

"Well, excuse me for getting us something to eat. Not my fault that you forgot to pack food for the trip." Hinako pouted cutely.

"Aww… don't blame me…" Hinata just laughed.

"You're still the same as you were five years ago." Hanako smiled and tried to pry her fingers off of her neck.

"You can let go now." Hinata turned a bit red and let go. Hinako noticed it and giggled.

"And you're still the same as the last time we saw you too." Hinata sat on her bed and no sooner had she done that then one of the men that worked under her father came in.

"Ah. I see that you're awake, Hinata-sama. Good. You have half an hour to get dressed. I'll be back at that time." He was about to leave when she stopped him.

"What for?"

"Today, you begin your duties as the head of the Household, and part of your new schedule, you must take lessons from your grandfather on how the paperwork is supposed to complete properly, and you will be taken to solve a matter with another branch. I'll return at that time." He bowed and walked out quietly. Hinata sighed and plopped back down onto her bed.

"First day and already it seems that I'm swamped with work." She stared up at the ceiling, completely lost in thought. Hinako played with her short brown hair before remembering why they had come over in the first place.

"Hinata… Your grandfather has asked us to help you out. That's why we're moving back in with the rest of the family." She said, patting her on the back. Hinata managed to lift her head up a bit to look at them, and then she let it fall back onto the mattress.

"There's way too much going on in my life right now…" She sighed once again and got up, dragged herself over to her dresser, and pulled out her training attire. After fifteen minutes, she came back out with her long hair tied in a low ponytail. She nodded to the twins and they all left together. Outside in the main practice area, Hinata saw her grandfather waiting for her.

"O-Ohayo…" She bowed politely, trying hard to impress her grandfather. He bowed to her and greeted her, not as warmly as she had hoped.

"Ohayo, Hinata. Come with me." He turned around to lead the way into a separate building. Hinata followed him obediently, hoping that her father would help her get through this ordeal.

"Here we are." He said. She noticed that everything was less grand than her own home. She looked at her cousins with a confused look on their faces.

"This is one of the lesser branches. A side of the Cadet Branch you might say. We're here to have a meeting with Matsuri Hyuuga, the leader of this branch. You won't be saying much, unless she gives you a direct question. Is that understood?" He stated, crossing his arms over his chest. She nodded.

"H-Hai…" and they walked inside.

The inside of the place wasn't much to brag about. In fact, it was even plainer than Naruto's apartment. There were a couple of kitchens and a handful of bathrooms spread around the corridors, but other than the things needed for those rooms, nothing to brighten the place up. On their way down a hallway, Hinata could have sworn that she felt eyes staring at her, but when she turned around, no one was there. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity for her, they finally arrived at the meeting room. Hinata stepped in first, followed by her grandfather. The room was even plainer than the rest of the house. All that was inside was a large oak desk and a wooden chair with a straight back. Nothing else was there to brighten the place up.

There was a woman sitting in the chair, somewhere between her early and mid twenties, her hand scribbling non-stop on a stack of papers. She was writing so fast that one could actually see the smoke rising. Her short black hair was a bit untidy, as though she just got out of bed, and she didn't even notice when the two walked in, her thought filled with who-knows-what. Tetsu cleared his throat and she jumped in surprise before looking up with the same clear orbs as is common of the Hyuuga family.

"A-Ah… H-Hello… I-I wasn't expecting you so early today…" She said, pushing the stack together and then placing it to the side before she stood up and headed to another door where she pulled out two chairs for them.

"Yes, well, we weren't expecting you to send us word about the current state of affairs." Tetsu replied to her insinuation, his eyes closed. Hinata sat next to him, a bit tense and trying not to shy away, but her nature was getting the best of her. The girl looked at him before her gaze drifted to Hinata.

"A-Ah… Hinata-dono… I-I wasn't expecting you to be here either…." She said, placing her hands on her desk and her gaze going back to them. Hinata squirmed in her seat and looked at the back of her hands.

"Matsuri. What seemed to be the entire situation in this house? You never gave us any trouble, so why start now?" Tetsu asked her, his stern eyes on the other girl's face. She cowered a bit under his gaze and tried to find her voice. Hinata noticed her actions, and couldn't help but compare herself with her.

"W-Well... I-It's just that w-we need a bit more funding this year because one of our girls recently gave birth to triplets and--

"Oh, and just because she gave birth, you think that it's enough to make us give you more money?" He said in a loud voice. Both Hinata and Matsuri cringed at his words and sunk back as he continued to look at the branch leader with contempt. Hinata gulped and opened her mouth.

"A-ano… o-ojii-sama… C-couldn't w-we help them? I-I mean, it's not much t-that they need…" He turned his eyes to her and she backed down a bit.

"We give them enough to last the month, nothing more, nothing less. If feeding the newborns means that some people in this household will go hungry, then so be it. We are not offering our coffers to them, as if we were a bank that could give out loans. We are leaving now Hinata." She bit her lip and nodded.

"H-Hai…." She said as they both walked out. Matsuri sighed when they left, but Hinata had returned. She looked over at the woman who was so similar to her.

"I-I'm sorry a-about my g-grandfather…. I-If I had control of the Hyuuga clan's monetary power, I would gladly give you the funds that you require. I-I know t-that t-this i-isn't much, but…." She pulled out her cute rabbit-shaped wallet and opened it, revealing a large amount of money. She pulled it all out and handed the money to her. "T-There's 100000 ryo. Please take this." She said in her gentle tone and smiled softly. "I have to go now. It was nice meeting you Matsuri-san." She bowed and left. Matsuri, once Hinata was gone from the room, took the bag and dropped it into her deck, grimacing at the shy girl's looks.

"Feh. We may need money, but we aren't a pity party. Just _wait_ until I get my hands on the power of the main branch…"

"Matsuri." She turned to the door and smiled.

"Hey. Can you do me a favor?" She asked the figure. All she received was a nod. "Good. It'll be easy. Just try and get close to that Hinata." The figure stood there to await further instructions, his pale eyes cold.

* * *

***sighs* I hate this. I have AP classes, my laptop's broken, my sister's turning into a wanna-be gangster, my brother is making me tired, I am failing 2 of my core classes, and my dad thinks that its smart to approach me with a booming voice and a slap to the , when your last bit of sanity is about to leave you, then NEVER TRY to give me something to do. Ah, I miss those times when I could upload fanfiction freely and easily... and now the only time I can do that is during school, which is... 2 hours. That's not a lot. Oh my youth, where have you gone off to?**

**. . .**

**Did... Did I just sound like Lee...? *screams and rips hair out* NOOOOOO!!!!!**

**Anyways, read and review!**

**P.S.: TO make my life a bit easier, I'm going to turn most of my fics into manga. Well... my Naruto ones anyways. I can't draw CCS, and I can draw a little IY. Doujin. For the link to my doujin, please look at my profile.**

**Sighning off,**

**Hinata-chan16~**


	5. Wishes and a Minor Fall

**Woo hoo! Another upload! Man, I'm seriously feeling good about my senior year. Seems like only yesterday I was starting with middle school, and now look where I am now! Took a long time, but finally close to leaving this hell-hole called Oakland!**

**Well, anyways, it's been a while since I uploaded RCS, but here's chapter 5 for you all who like it!**

**Last chapter recap:**

"_Hey. Can you do me a favor?" She asked the figure. All she received was a nod. "Good. It'll be easy. Just try and get close to that Hinata." The figure stood there to await further instructions, his pale eyes cold._

**Rose Colored Snow 5: Wishes and a Minor Fall

* * *

**

After meeting with Matsuri Hyuuga, Hinata's grandfather let her train wit Neji and Hanabi for a few hours. Once that was done, she was taken back to Tetsu, Hanabi and Neji in tow.

"Good. We need to discuss the current market proposal set forth by Hiashi before his passing, and we need to finish planning the treaty with the Taki leader, Shibuki. We are not to be relying on them for military strength, but rather a share of their lands for the growing of some of the nation's crops in order to further put us in power over the other nations." Tetsu explained, placing a copy of the treaty that they have written in front of Hinata. Hinata skimmed over it lightly and frowned.

She didn't like some of the ways that they were going to do these things, but it really was up to the Hokage to decide.

"Grandfather, have we informed the Hokage about these terms and the new rule of the Hyuuga?" Hanabi asked, voicing her older sister's thoughts. Neji and Hinata both looked up at their grandfather.

"Not yet. We wish to get Hinata settled in at her position before heading off to tell the Hokage." He simply stated before sitting in a chair opposite form the siblings. Hinata, after a few moments, stood up.

"I think that it is time to tell the Hokage about the new leadership. I'll just go myself, okay?" She directed the last question to her siblings and then headed off.

The streets were as crowded as usual as Hinata walked down to the Hokage's office. She hummed softly and kept thinking about how she was going to get the nerve to tell a certain boy that she really likes him.

After walking for maybe ten minutes, she finally found the building she was looking for and walked inside. She knocked on the door to the Hokage's office and waited until she heard the word to enter.

"Hokage-sama—"Her breath was caught in her throat as she saw the object of her affections standing inside, getting briefed on a mission it seemed.

"I-I'm sorry to interrupt…" She said softly, but Tsunade just smiled.

"Just the girl I was looking for!" Hinata jumped and stepped closer to where she could hold Naruto's hand if she had the nerve to.

"U-Um… A-Am I n-needed…?" She asked, not noticing that Naruto was now looking at her with a questioning look.

"Yes, actually. We just received a letter asking for a substitute for the princess of the Land of the Sky. She's here already, but all of the other kunoichi are busy with other matters. So, I'm asking you, Hinata, to be the substitute, while Naruto is to be your body guard for the trip until negotiations between the Land of the Sky and the Land of Earth have been successful."

"I-Is the princess in danger…?" She asked, wondering if she was just going to go on a mission like Ino's not too long ago.

"Yes." Tsunade laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "Since the negotiations began, the princess has felt someone watching her every move, and has had a few incidents happen to almost hurt her. See, the King doesn't want his daughter to be harmed, because if she is, she won't be eligible for marriage between the nations and a war between the two lands will erupt. We believe, judging by the intel gathered from some scouts, that the Land of Rice is trying to stop the negotiations."

"Isn't the Lad of Rice a big trader with the Land of Earth and Sake?" Naruto finally spoke up, making Hinata jump slightly.

"Yes, and that's exactly why they wish to stop the peace treaty. They know that if the Land of Earth and Sky were to make amends, a large portion of their profits would drop because trade is being conducted elsewhere."

"That makes sense. When do we leave?" Naruto said with his big grin on his face. Before Tsunade could answer, Hinata placed her hands on the table.

"Hokage-sama, If we complete this mission in time, may we also combine it with the negotiations with the Land of the Waterfall? Basically extending the mission to help me complete my own?" She asked with a less shy approach on the matter. Tsunade looked shocked that the girl finally spoke up for something slightly selfish, but smiled and nodded.

"Of course. Now, is there something else that you'd like to tell me before you two leave?"

Hinata smiled. "I am now the official ruler of the Hyuuga clan." Naruto looked shocked as he heard her new title.

"Leader? Can you handle all that responsibility, Hinata?" Tsunade asked her with a serious look in her eyes.

"Hell yeah she can!" Naruto said, smirking. Hinata nodded, relieved that he had her back on this matter.

"Well then, I'll send out an announcement when you return in two weeks time. Now, please, follow me to meet the clients." She stood up from her desk and the two teens followed her down the hall, past the Elder's meeting room, into a waiting room.

Inside where three people; one was definitely the King, decked out in regal clothing and he showed the fine lines of a man in his early forties. His slightly gray beard showed his age, and his expression was somewhat stern-looking. Next to him seemed to be a bodyguard, judging by the blade at his side. The man seemed to be in his mid thirties, seeing as his body looked well built to support the job of a bodyguard.

The princess, on the other hand, was a true beauty. Her pale skin was just a tad darker than Hinata's, which contrasted well with her dark brown hair. The ends reached down to the bottom of her royal blue kimono, and the plum butterfly decal greatly accentuated her brown eyes.

Hinata was shocked to see that the girl was almost the exact same as her in looks and body type, and the eyes were the only thing that really set the two girls apart. Naruto and Hinata both got onto their knees and bowed to the regal family.

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto and this is Hyuuga Hinata. We have been assigned to be in charge of maintaining the princess safe." Naruto clearly stated, trying to hold back from jumping the gun this time. The girl nodded and the King stood up.

"Very well, ninja. The princess's life is in your hands." They both looked up and nodded. Hinata looked at the girl and blushed a bit when the girl smiled.

"Do not worry. We do not bite, and we hope that you will be safe for the next week." She said in her polite voice. Hinata nodded slowly.

"Princess, I wish to not say this, but in order to protect you, you must play a maid-in-waiting while Naruto and I be the bait for the enemies. This way, they'll attack me, thinking that I am you." The princess saw the logic in the plan and nodded. "But I will not let you do anything out of character, except that you mustn't order the other servants around for the next week. Is that understood?"

The girl again nodded before both of them went off to switch clothing. Naruto stayed with the men in order to start discussing the matters, like guard duty and any other trivial things. When the girls returned, Naruto couldn't help but stare at Hinata.

Hinata had used a partial transformation to make her hair longer and brown. Her bangs remained the same, and so did the Byakugan eyes. She was wearing a similar kimono to that of the princess, except that instead of the butterflies, there were white rabbits on a navy background. Her now brown hair was thrown in a loose braid and pinned up with lavender flower-shaped clips.

Hinata saw Naruto gawking and turned a slight crimson. The princess saw the exchange and giggled softly. The girl had changed as well. Her hair, thanks to a few tricks, had been parted in half, made into two separate braids, tied at the base of the braid, and making them into rings. Her clothing had dramatically changed from a multi-layer kimono to a simple dark pink furisode, tied at the waist with a sky blue obi.

Naruto finally stopped gawking at Hinata long enough to clear his mind. He stood up and led the way, making sure that their decoy was placed in between the guards. Hinata, although she didn't want to, had to ride in the carriage with the king while the princess was to walk on the side of the vehicle.

The ride was quiet, until Hinata began to ask the king about the history of the Land of the Sky. But after a while, it became dull. She continued to pay attention to the king, but couldn't help notice that the princess seemed to enjoy talking to her Naruto.

Wait.

_Her_ Naruto?

'_Oh god, I'm delusional!'_ She blushed and averted her eyes, knowing that she could never use those two words in the same sentence.

She sighed and watched the two talk, wishing that it was her with him, talking and joking without her passing out. But it was all just wishful thinking on her part. She finally looked up and saw the castle.

The castle, however, seemed like it didn't want to be seen. Without highly-trained eyes, no one would notice the barrier around it, making it disappear from sight. It had many lookout towers, and they seemed to go on forever into the clouds. The castle itself, however, seemed a bit old. There was ivy growing up along the walls, and the stones seemed worn from rain. She could even see where the mortar was starting to wear away.

On the base, however, there seemed to be people there, working diligently to fix the worn down stones.

She seemed satisfied and turned back to the king, smiling and pretending that she had been listening to his entire conversation.

* * *

Naruto was, in all actuality, uncomfortable with walking alongside with the princess.

"Your Highness, you didn't have to come and walk with myself. You could have just as easily ridden with Hinata and your father." He threw a glance back at the carriage and saw the faintest shows of pearly white and red. He was worried about his partner in that carriage. The girl shook her head and stretched.

"Yes, we could have, but we'd much prefer to walk out here in the sunshine and talk to you, Uzumaki Naruto." She looked at him, her brown eyes laughing. He smiled back at her, but all he could think about was how those laughing eyes would seem even nicer on Hinata. He snapped out of it and focused on the road.

All of a sudden, he stopped. The girl stopped beside him, a confused look in her eyes. He shook his head at her questioning glance and made her get into the carriage. Hinata stuck her head out as he did so and he whispered into her ear,

"Use your Byakugan, scout the area. We're not alone here." She nodded and settled back down in her seat before activating her eyes. She looked around them within a three mile radius and saw about seven unusual chakra networks.

"Uzumaki-san…" She said in a careful voice, wincing at how she had to say it all so formally, "…We would be very happy if you would get for us seven flowers from the surrounding area…" She pointed out where the shinobi were and then stood up. "In fact, please escort us to the area."

He opened the door and extended his hand to her, making it seem like she was truly the princess. Hinata took a deep breath and took his hand before stepping down. She made her appearance daintily so as not to arouse suspicion and waited patiently while Naruto closed the door and whispered an assuring word to the royals.

Hinata stepped forward and Naruto followed, making sure that if he needed a kunai, he could pull one out of his sleeve easily. Hinata had exactly the same plan, only instead of hiding her kunai in her sleeves, she had sown her shuriken onto the inside of the sleeve. Her kunai holster was where it always is, on her right thigh. In her hands were tiny paper bombs.

As they made their trip, pretending to be taking up flowers, Hinata left a paper bomb buried in the grass in front of the men, making sure that it couldn't be seen. At the same time, she lifted a flower at each spot.

Naruto, while following her, started to feel the hostility in these shinobi rising. Once the final bomb was set, he bowed to Hinata.

"Excuse me, but I must attend to your father as well…" He did it so that the men could finally show their faces. Hinata nodded and stepped closer to one of them. Just as she had planned, the one there sprung.

She screamed like a woman in distress and tried to fight back, as any normal person would. But what she hadn't counted on was that he was stronger than she thought. She struggled, but gasped as a kunai was pushed against her throat.

"Now princess… Our lord would like to have a word with you…" She bit his wrist and he yelped in pain. That was all she needed. She kicked him where she knew it would hurt and ran towards Naruto. She turned around and then all of the others showed. She gave them a smile.

"Never underestimate a woman." She made a hand seal and all the paper bombs detonated. She covered herself with her arms, but when she opened her eyes, Naruto had his arms werapped around her, protecting her from the blast.

"Y-you okay, Hinata?" He asked her in a soft whisper. She turned a violent red and nodded.

"Y-Yes, but you didn't have to…" He grinned, making it hard for her to stay upright.

"Without you, the mission's a bust." Her image of him broke and she gave him a fake smile. She pushed him off and looked away.

"We would have been fine, Uzumaki-san. Please check up on my father." She seemed angry and stepped towards the carriage. What she hadn't counted on was that the force of the bombs made a chasm in the earth, and from it, a huge spurt of water.

Hinata didn't sense it and gasped as the water pushed her up into the air. She shut her eyes as the water pushed her so high that when it stopped, she plummeted to the ground. Naruto saw her falling and jumped to try and catch her, but he hadn't counted on the cliff.

He caught her in his arms, but they both fell.

"We'll find you all again!" Naruto shouted at them before they vanished into the forest below.


	6. What happened after

**Another update today. Yay.**

**Disclaimer: Dont own anyone besides Makoto, Mikoto, Matsuri and the name for Hina's grandpa, because it is omitted in the original series. And some other antagonists I'll introduce later.**

* * *

When Hinata finally stirred, there was a pounding in her head and her body was freezing cold. A quick glance around and she saw a small fire heating her up as best as she could, and draped over her body was a warm jacket. She smiled at the warmth that was around her until she gasped. It was Naruto's jacket over her. She blushed and curled up under the jacket as she noticed that the only thing she was still wearing was her mesh tank top and her training shorts.

She was still trying to figure out what happened as Naruto walked into the clearing, carrying branches, a few logs, and a bag of fish. His face brightened as he saw his companion awake.

"Hinata! I'm so glad you're awake!" She turned a bright red when she heard him, but then her face fell when she remembered what he said earlier.

"How long was I out, N-Naruto-kun?" She asked, sitting up and wrapping his jacket around her small frame. "And where are my clothes?" She asked, hoping that he hadn't seen her in what little she had on. He tilted his head to a wire he had hooked to two trees and on it was her kimono and all her other things, dripping onto the forest floor.

"Well, it was a little past noon that we started our journey…" He began to ponder the question, blushing as he remembered how Hinata looked when he got her out of her clothes. "Then I'm guessing we got attacked sometime around… 4 in the afternoon. You've been out for a few hours now." Hinata glanced up at the trees and gasped as she saw that the sky was dotted with stars and the moon.

He cleared his throat. "Anyways, I'd better get started on the fish…" He was about to pull them out when Hinata's pale hand stopped his from moving. He looked up at her blushing face.

"Let me, Naruto-kun. Y-You've already done m-more than enough for the night…" She took the bag from him, but then she was the brightest red when his eyes were right in front of her, their lips only centimeters apart.

"Hinata, are you sure you're okay? You're pretty warm…" He stated with soft eyes, their foreheads pressed together as he checked it. She didn't even move, but gave him a short nod.

That nod was more than enough. Her lips collided with his and she would have died happy right there. Naruto himself was shocked that they were kissing, and he pulled away slowly, as if somehow his body didn't want him to leave her lips. She pulled away with her burning cheeks and bowed apologetically.

"I-I'm so sorry, N-N-Naruto-k-kun…!" She said, trying her hardest to both forget the feeling and have it engraved in her memory forever. Naruto was red too, but he just nodded at her apology.

"D-Don't worry about it Hinata! I-It was a-an accident…r-right?" Hinata nodded furiously and rushed off to the river nearby. She found it and knelt by the bed before thrusting her face into the water, hoping it would cool her off.

* * *

Naruto was an entirely different case. After the kiss and the departure of said girl, he laid back and looked up at the sky as he tried to think about things. After all, he had never seen her in a romantic light, but after what he saw that day…

Let's just say, he wasn't so sure.

He rolled around a bit and glanced up at the stars, anything to get his mind off of Hinata, but the feeling of her lips was a recurring thought.

'_They were warm… and really soft… I wonder if it's just hers, or if it goes for all girls…?'_ He sat up, red and shook his head out of those thoughts. Just then, Hinata came up, her face and hair wet but with the fish prepared. She took a few of the branches he brought and stuck the fish on them. She set them carefully around the fire and curled up to keep herself warm and to take in the scent of Naruto's jacket.

'_I wish I hadn't done that… I-It's going to be so awkward now…'_ She thought, staring into the fire. At first it seemed to be a regular fire, nothing particularly special. But after another look, there were people running around in it. She gasped and stared at the fire more intently.

It was a scene. A large fire, somewhere familiar to her. There were people running out, trying to save themselves from the flames. In a small group, there were two girls on the floor. One was either on the verge of dying, or dead. The other was crying and yelling something to a third girl who was standing over both their bodies, although she seemed more distant. Between them, a boy stood. His arms were out, as if to shield them, knives and stars in his hands. He seemed charred, even a bit burnt but otherwise okay. It was all unreal, but Hinata knew that if she were to touch it…

"Hinata, what the hell!" Naruto yanked her back from her stupor and into his arms. She had been just about to burn herself with how close she was getting to the flames. She blinked and then her eyes welled up in tears, but she refused to cry as she clung to him, trembling. Naruto wasn't sure what happened, but all he could do now was hold her and hope that she'd share her pain.

When the girl finally stopped, she pushed her friend away, but he kept her in his arms. She looked up at him with wet eyes and he just cupped her cheek.

"Not leaving until I'm sure you're okay." She nodded silently and buried her face in his shirt once again, forgetting about their dinner. After a few more minutes she sighed and looked up at him, almost losing herself in the deep oceans that were his eyes.

"N-Naruto… I-I saw… I saw something i-in the fire… S-Something… something horrible…" She pulled away from his grasp and grabbed their dinner, handing him one of the cooked fish. He took it and kept one arm around her as if to provide her with some kind of comfort, the other holding their dinner. Hinata nibbled on her cooked fish.

"It was like a vision, almost… There were four or five people there… two on one side, one between the two groups, and then the other group of two. One of them seemed just about to die, while the one between the two groups was protecting them." She trembled a bit and Naruto pressed his hand a bit harder on her shoulder, as if to comfort her. "It just seemed… so real… Like if I touched the flames I would see this clearly…"

She sighed and finished off her fish before tossing the stick into the fire. Naruto did the same and pulled his arm away. She noted the loss of warmth from her shoulder, but she didn't mind. She knew that they probably wouldn't get much closer than they were now.

'_**But that kiss said differently~'**_ Her inner Hinata stated, laughing softly. Hinata ignored the voice and poked the fire, her eyes glazed as she thought about things.

"Hinata, I'll take the first watch. You get some rest." She heard his voice and looked up at him. He was already standing and stretching, a comforting smile on his lips.

"Are you sure? I feel like you need it more than I do." He grinned and nodded.

"Yeah. I don't know how Neji will take it if I return the Hyuuga heiress tired."

Again.

She felt that dropping sensation that she had felt earlier when Naruto told her about how the mission was a waste if he lost her in the explosion. She stubbornly stood up and shot him a look that, in his opinion, looked like an ice-cold glare.

"The same goes for you Naruto-kun. Don't underestimate me." She said coldly and began a search of the fields around them.

* * *

"Ugh… Why did I do that?!" Hinata wanted to take a kunai (even though she didn't know where her holster was) and just cut herself. It was just after their little 'fight' and she was completely upset. When she looked back up, her face looked hurt.

'_Now he must hate me…'_ She rubbed her stinging eyes and jumped as she heard the rustling of leaves behind her. She turned and saw her comrade stepping through the leaves, an embarrassed look on his face.

"Hinata… C-Can we talk..?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck in his sheepish look. She saw the look and nodded, stepping back to their campsite and avoiding his reach. When they were seated around the fire once again, it remained quiet for a while until he finally broke the silence.

"Hinata, listen." She looked up as she heard her name being spoken. There was something in her expression that made him want to run and hug her, and make all the things that make her hurt go away. But for the moment, it was one thing at a time. He took a deep breath and spoke.

"I-I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to say anything to offend you, and if I did, don't hesitate to hit me. Sakura always does anyways." She felt that sinking sensation again before she shook her head.

"It was also my fault Naruto. I… I-I guess I was just upset and even a bit jealous…" She said in a soft voice, blushing and looking at her hands in her lap. He looked at her, confusion written in his eyes.

"Why would you be jealous? There's no one around…" Then he remembered the princess and how it seemed a bit easy and a bit hard to talk to her. Once he thought he saw Hinata's face in the window of the carriage and a flash of sadness and even a hint of envy for the two of them outside.

"Wait… Was it about this afternoon?" He asked her cautiously. She made a face and sighed before nodding, a few tears on her cheeks.

"I-I try to not let stuff like that get to me, but sometimes I just can't help it!" She wanted to beat herself up for feeling this way. Instead, the tears flowed out and she finally broke down in all the emotions she absolutely hated.

Naruto had no experience comforting a girl, but he did what his body said to do. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her against his chest. She cried softly into his chest and after another moment, she pulled away, her tears stopping.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you things like this." She got up and stretched before heading off to her watch, but something stopped her.

When she looked down, his hand was wrapped around her wrist and his eyes were hidden from sight by his bangs.

"Hinata, don't worry about crying on me. I'll always let you do it, so if you can't tell anyone else, I'm here for you." He pulled her down to him and kissed her. Hinata was shocked and tried to pull away. Unfortunately, Naruto seemed to have other plans. He tugged her down into his lap and it wasn't until Hinata slapped him that he regained control of his senses.

Hinata quickly got up and rushed out of the clearing, tears in her eyes.

'_W-Why did he kiss me like that?! I mean, it's all I've ever wanted from him, but why when he hasn't even asked me out on a date?!'

* * *

_

Elsewhere, Naruto was stuck with problems.

1. He had just kissed a girl who wasn't Sakura.

2. He lost control of himself and wanted more.

3. He _actually_ wanted more.

4. HE KISSED A GIRL! Not the dumb kiss with Sasuke. Not a close encounter with Sakura. HE KISSED HINATA.

5. HE GOT _SLAPPED_ FOR KISSING THE GIRL!

6. SHE WAS THE HYUUGA EMPRESS! This would be so bad for her if word ever leaked.

He looked up at the sky, his lips still tingling from the passion that he put into the kiss. He didn't even know what made him do that. All he knew is that he wanted to comfort her, and his mind shut down the minute their lips connected.

He rubbed his stinging cheek and looked up at the starry sky before falling asleep. As he drifted off, the only thing he could think about was Hinata.

* * *

Hinata stood guard for a few hours, trying to calm down from all those kisses that the two of the shared. As she did, she realized that she had her own set of problems.

1. SHE KISSED A _BOY_. Naruto, her all-time crush, was her first kiss.

2. She wanted more.

3. She _SLAPPED_ the boy for giving her the type of kiss that she always wanted.

4. SHE WAS THE HYUUGA EMPRESS! This would ruin her family name even more than before if word ever leaked out.

She watched the sky, praying to her mother's soul for any guidance, and then stayed nearby the warmth of the fire for a few hours until it was Naruto's turn to take watch.

All she did was shake him, tell him it was his turn, then turn around to flee any type of confrontation on the subject of kissing.

As she settled in for sleep, she only had two things on her mind. One; Naruto (obviously) and two; how long the mission would be if things like what just happened kept happening.

* * *

**Lol. Sorry, couldn't help it. It got all serious in the middle, then it turned to humor. I wanted to end it on a high note, so here it is.**

**Night all (it's 1:36a in Cali as I type this)**

**CagedBird17**


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